Publications
FORT scientists have produced more than 1,500 peer reviewed publications that are registered in the USGS Publications Warehouse, along with many others prior to their work at the USGS or in conjunction with other government agencies.
Filter Total Items: 2305
A global overview of drought and heat-induced tree mortality reveals emerging climate change risks for forests
Greenhouse gas emissions have significantly altered global climate, and will continue to do so in the future. Increases in the frequency, duration, and/or severity of drought and heat stress associated with climate change could fundamentally alter the composition, structure, and biogeography of forests in many regions. Of particular concern are potential increases in tree mortality...
Authors
Craig Allen, A.K. Macalady, H. Chenchouni, D. Bachelet, N. McDowell, Michel Vennetier, Thomas Kitzberger, Andreas Rigling, D.D. Breshears, E. H. (T.) Hogg, P. Gonzalez, Rod Fensham, Z. Zhang, J. Castro, N. Demidova, J.-H. Lim, G. Allard, Steven W. Running, A. Semerci, N. Cobb
Nighttime aboveground movements by prairie dogs on colonies inhabited by black-footed ferrets
We describe observations of black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) emerging aboveground at night, apparently in response to wild-born and captive-born black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes) in South Dakota and New Mexico, respectively. We also discuss other similar observations accumulated on black-tailed prairie dog colonies as well as observations of white-tailed prairie...
Authors
David Eads, Jennifer G. Chipault, Dean E. Biggins, Travis. Livieri, Joshua J. Millspaugh
Enzootic plague reduces black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) survival in Montana
Black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes) require extensive prairie dog colonies (Cynomys spp.) to provide habitat and prey. Epizootic plague kills both prairie dogs and ferrets and is a major factor limiting recovery of the highly endangered ferret. In addition to epizootics, we hypothesized that enzootic plague, that is, presence of disease-causing Yersinia pestis without any noticeable...
Authors
Marc R. Matchett, Dean E. Biggins, Valerie Carlson, Bradford Powell, Tonie E. Rocke
NASA and USGS invest in invasive species modeling to evaluate habitat for Africanized Honey Bees
Invasive non-native species, such as plants, animals, and pathogens, have long been an interest to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and NASA. Invasive species cause harm to our economy (around $120 B/year), the environment (e.g., replacing native biodiversity, forest pathogens negatively affecting carbon storage), and human health (e.g., plague, West Nile virus). Five years ago, the...
Does variation in cranial morphology of Myotis occultus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) reflect a greater reliance on certain prey types?
Few studies have investigated the relationship between morphological variation and local feeding habits of bats in the United States. We used discriminant function analysis (DFA) to compare cranial morphology of Myotis occultus from southern Colorado, and central, and southern New Mexico. We analyzed guano collected from maternity colonies in southern Colorado and central New Mexico to...
Authors
Ernest W. Valdez, Michael T. Bogan
DayCent-Chem simulations of ecological and biogeochemical processes of eight mountain ecosystems in the United States
Atmospheric deposition of nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) cause complex responses in ecosystems, from fertilization to forest ecosystem decline, freshwater eutrophication to acidification, loss of soil base cations, and alterations of disturbance regimes. DayCent-Chem, an ecosystem simulation model that combines ecosystem nutrient cycling and plant dynamics with aqueous geochemical...
Authors
Melannie D. Hartman, Jill Baron, David Clow, Irean Creed, Charles T. Driscoll, Holly A. Ewing, Bruce D. Haines, Jennifer Knoepp, Kate Lajtha, Dennis S. Ojima, William J. Parton, Jim Renfro, R. James Robinson, Helga Van Miegroet, Kathleen C. Weathers, Mark W. Williams
Application of the Hydroecological Integrity Assessment Process for Missouri Streams
Natural flow regime concepts and theories have established the justification for maintaining or restoring the range of natural hydrologic variability so that physiochemical processes, native biodiversity, and the evolutionary potential of aquatic and riparian assemblages can be sustained. A synthesis of recent research advances in hydroecology, coupled with stream classification using...
Authors
Jonathan Kennen, James A. Henriksen, John Heasley, Brian S. Cade, James W. Terrell
Planning for an uncertain future - Monitoring, integration, and adaptation
The 6.7 billion human inhabitants of the earth have the ability to drastically alter ecosystems and the populations of species that have taken eons to evolve. By better understanding how our actions affect the environment, we stand a better chance of designing successful strategies to manage ecosystems sustainably. Toward this end, the Third Interagency Conference on Research in the...
Giant Constrictors: Biological and Management Profiles and an Establishment Risk Assessment for Nine Large Species of Pythons, Anacondas, and the Boa Constrictor
Giant Constrictors: Biological and Management Profiles and an Establishment Risk Assessment for Nine Large Species of Pythons, Anacondas, and the Boa Constrictor, estimates the ecological risks associated with colonization of the United States by nine large constrictors. The nine include the world's four largest snake species (Green Anaconda, Eunectes murinus; Indian or Burmese Python...
Authors
Robert Reed, Gordon H. Rodda
U.S. Geological Survey Science for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative - 2008 Annual Report
The Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI) was launched in 2007 in response to concerns about threats to the State's world class wildlife resources, especially the threat posed by rapidly increasing energy development in southwest Wyoming. The overriding purpose of the WLCI is to assess and enhance aquatic and terrestrial habitats at a landscape scale, while facilitating...
Authors
Zachary H. Bowen, Cameron L. Aldridge, Patrick J. Anderson, Timothy J. Assal, Lori Anne Baer, R. Sky Bristol, Natasha B. Carr, Geneva W. Chong, James Diffendorfer, Bradley C. Fedy, Steven L. Garman, Stephen S. Germaine, Richard I. Grauch, Collin Homer, Daniel J. Manier, Matthew Kauffman, Natalie Latysh, Cynthia P. Melcher, Kirk A. Miller, Jessica M. Montag, Constance J. Nutt, Christopher J. Potter, Hall Sawyer, David R. Smith, Michael J. Sweat, Anna B. Wilson
Fire in the southwest: Integrating fire into management of changing ecosystems
No abstract available.
Authors
Carolyn Hull Sieg, Peter Z. Fulé, Molly E. Hunter, Craig Allen, Matthew Brooks, Randy G. Balice
Prey preferences and prey acceptance in juvenile Brown Treesnakes (Boiga irregularis)
On the Pacific island of Guam, control of the invasive Brown Treesnake (Boiga irregularis) relies largely on methods that use mice as bait. Juvenile B. irregularis feed primarily on lizards and their eggs, but little is known about their prey preference. We conducted an experiment to investigate preferences for, and acceptance of, dead geckos, skinks, and neonatal mice, in juvenile B...
Authors
Bjorn Lardner, Julie S Savidge, Gordon H. Rodda, Robert Reed